Carrot Soup with Ginger & Lemon

 

Ingredients:

• 4 Toppits Ginger Pop Herbs

• 3 Toppits Garlic Pop Herbs

• 2 Toppits Parsley Pop Herbs

• 1 Toppits Chili Pepper Pop Herb (optional)

• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter

• 1 ½ cups chopped onions

• 1 ¼ pounds (about 3 cups) medium carrots, peeled, chopped

• 2 tomatoes (about 1 ⅓ cups), seeded, chopped

• 1 ½ tsp. grated lemon peel

• 3 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• Salt & pepper to taste

 

Garnish:

• 4 tbsp. sour cream

• ¼ cup sliced almonds (or pumpkin seeds), toasted

 

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat and add onions; sauté 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, parsley and chili pepper, sauté 2 minutes. Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon peel, sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

2. Puree soup in batches in blender (or using a hand immersion blender directly in the pot). Return soup to pot and mix in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead.) Cover and chill.

3. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock, if desired. Ladle into bowls. Top each with sour cream and toasted almonds.